An inquiry will be held after councillors threw out plans for a large solar farm in open fields on the edge of Cambridgeshire.
The energy facility would have covered 145 acres of farmland by the A14 Huntingdon Road, between Thrapston and Bythorn. Applicant Wood Lodge Solar Project Limited said that the site could have powered up to 15,000 homes when fully operational.
The plans were turned down by North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) in October 2024 due to the impact on the landscape and loss of habitat in the Upper Nene Valley area. The majority of the site area falls within North Northants, but a section of the access road from the A14 lies within Cambridgeshire.
An inquiry led by the planning inspectorate is now expected to take place on May 20. NNC must be able to defend its refusal decision or else the project permission could be overturned.
Site plans for the solar farm.
(Image: Wood Lodge Solar Project Limited)
At the time, planning officers encouraged the committee to approve the solar farm proposals. NNC officers wrote in their planning report that it was their view that “the benefits of renewable energy raise substantial benefits in favour of the proposal” that would outweigh the identified harms.
The scheme received dozens of objections from local residents and campaign groups who said the development would dominate the countryside landscape and take up valuable agricultural land.
During the meeting, the chair of the planning committee reflected that the plans were “very finely balanced”. After discussions and an adjournment to seek officers’ advice, members voted to refuse the solar farm development.
A planning statement submitted by Wood Lodge Solar Project before the committee meeting said there was an “urgent” need to transition to clean, renewable energy. They claimed that their solar farm scheme would contribute towards energy and sustainability goals, saving around 21,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
A decision date for the appeal is yet to be decided. Representations from interested parties will be due at the start of next month.
If the decision is overturned and the site gets approval, a separate application must be submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council for the area within its boundary.
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